


This is How it Was

by CupcakeGirlA



Series: This is How it Was [1]
Category: Olympics RPF, Real Person Fiction, Speed Skating RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-27
Updated: 2011-12-27
Packaged: 2017-10-28 05:25:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/304230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CupcakeGirlA/pseuds/CupcakeGirlA
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The progression of a friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is How it Was

This is how it was…

Apolo’s nicer than JR thinks he should be. By now he’s practically a household name, bringing short track to a whole new level of popularity among the sports fans of the USofA. He’s the reason JR started skating. He’s the reason Jordan started skating. But Apolo doesn’t act like he’s better than the rest of them. He doesn’t act like he’s famous, or an Olympic champion. He’s the same old Apolo that JR remembers, only older, and more accomplished.

Apolo goes around introducing himself to all the young guys at the LA training camp; when he gets to JR, standing nervous and excited, slightly in front of his Dad, he sort of pauses. He looks as Bob Celski for a minute, than at JR and starts to smile.

“No way!” he laughs. “Mr. Celski?” he asks, sticking out his hand. JR’s dad laughs, shaking it in return.

“Nice to see you again, Apolo,” Bob greets him. He lets his hand rest on JR’s shoulder. “You’ll remember our youngest, JR, of course!” he introduces. Apolo turns brown eyes to JR, reaching for his hand, and clapping him on the shoulder.

“Of course, little JR!” Apolo laughs. “You skating Short Track, now?” he asks. JR finds it hard to speak, so he just nods. “You any good?” Apolo asks, smiling widely. JR shrugs.

“Good enough to beat you one day!” he challenges. Apolo puts his head back and roars with laughter.

“We’ll see about that!” he says teasingly. “It’s good to see someone else from Federal Way. You and me,” he says leaning close, lowering his voice, “we gotta represent the west coast man. We’re like the only guys! We gotta show em who’s the boss!” JR laughs, nodding along.

JR gets a picture with Apolo, gets his autograph, even gets a hug, and he goes home with stars in his eyes.

 

This is how it was…

JR steps onto Olympic ice for the first time ever and he feels his heart skip a beat. He’s early to practice, there’s practically no one else there he’s so early, but he’s done his normal warm up and he’s so excited he gets on the ice, and just skates laps. He notices Apolo as soon as he steps onto the track. JR watches him run warm-up laps, and stop to stretch. Apolo waves at him, goes to change, and is soon joining JR on the ice, just as the rest of the guys are showing up ready to get warmed up.

JR stops skating, stands still in the middle of the ice waiting for Apolo to catch up to him. Apolo yawns as he skates across the ice, smooth as if he was born on it.

“Hey, JR!” he says, holding out a hand for JR to shake. JR gets pulled into a one armed hug. “First day?” Apolo asks. JR takes a deep breath and can’t control his grin.

“Yeah, couldn’t sleep. Came in super early,” he says in reply. Apolo smiles.

“I’m not used to being the second one here. Is this gonna become a habit? Because if so, I’m seriously going to have to start going to bed at like 8pm,” Apolo teases. JR shakes head, laughing.

“Nah, I’m not much of a morning person. One time deal, I think,” he replies.

“Good, I’d hate to be usurped as the team’s most dedicated early riser!” Apolo lets out another laugh. JR shakes his head again.

“I don’t think I’ll be your main competition in that area,” JR quips in return.

“We’ll leave the competition on the ice then?” Apolo asks. JR laughs.

“Of course man,” JR says. “Got to leave it all on the ice!” Apolo grins at him. He skates over to the starting line.

“Well come on then, Mr. Competition. Show me what you got! 500m, right here, right now!” he calls out. JR swallows thickly, skating over to stand at Apolo’s right, getting into start position. He feels his heart fluttering in his chest. A one-on-one race against Apolo? On his first day training with the National team? This can’t be happening. But it is. He digs his foot into the ice, planting his right foot behind him, bends down, and freezes into position. Apolo counts down a steady “3, 2, 1, GO!” and they’re both off. JR’s good. He knows he’s good. And he’s more warmed up than Apolo is, younger, and eager to prove himself. He gets off the line fast, but Apolo’s faster. Apolo gets ahead of him going into the curve of the turn. JR doesn’t let it affect him. He pushes and keeps up with Apolo, and 3 laps later, sees a chance and just goes for it, sliding around Apolo when he takes the turn too wide. Apolo lets him lead for a whole lap, before pushing around and back into the front, skating across the line in first, with JR right behind him.

JR stays silent, ignoring the ruckus the other guys are making hooting and hollering, and whistling through their fingers as they run circles around the ice. He looks and waits for Apolo to comment. Apolo slows his pace, waiting for JR to catch up with him. He claps him on the back, when he pulls even.

“Good race!” he says, smiling widely. “Made me work for that one.” Then he turns thoughtful. “I’ll have to watch myself, or you’ll make good on that threat of yours!” JR must look confused, because Apolo’s smile seems to spread impossibly wider. “That you were good enough to beat me some day! Keep skating like that, keep getting better, and I have no doubt that you will. And soon,” Apolo praises. JR ignores the thumping in his heart, as he grins back, reaching out to shake Apolo’s hand.

 

This is how it was…

JR lays in the hospital bed, and tries to ignore the pain in his leg. He tries to ignore the pain in his chest. It’s been 24 hours since the fall, and 16 hours since the surgery to correct it. It is bad, the gash going deep and long, and the scar, JR knows, is going to be hideous. His whole thigh aches with the pain, dulled by medication but still present. The outlook is sketchy. Doctors are unsure if he’ll be able to walk again, let alone skate. Vancouver and the 2010 Olympics look like a dream of the past; hence the heartache.

It’s late at night that Apolo comes. How he gets around the visiting hours baffles JR but he doesn’t comment. Apolo just walks in and makes himself comfortable in the chair that Bob has only recently pried Sue out of to go get some rest. He sits and stares at JR for several minutes before speaking. JR avoids looking in his direction, picks at a loose thread on the sheet covering him from the waist down. When Apolo finally speaks, JR jumps in alarm, causing Apolo to laugh and repeat himself a second time.

“How’s it feel?” he asks again. JR shrugs.

“It hurts like a mother fucker. How do you think it feels?” he asks, feeling petulant and angry. He doesn’t want Apolo here. He feels weak, like a failure. He doesn’t want Mr. 2 no 3 time Olympian Apolo Anton Ohno to be sitting in his hospital room, trying to make him feel better that his own Olympic dream is over before it even got on its feet. Apolo stares at him a moment.

“I wasn’t talking about your leg, JR,” he says softly. JR turns to look at him. “I know how that must feel. You aren’t the first speed skater to cut themselves with their own blade. And while my cut is probably like a paper cut in comparison to yours, I can pretty well imagine what it must feel like right now. I was asking how it felt to win.” JR stares at him in confusion.

“I didn’t win. I came in 2nd, as usual. Not that it really matters now anyway,” he mutters. Apolo laughs again, which made JR’s eyes fly up to his face.

“But you did win! JR you beat my ass at the time trials! I posted my personal best, my best time EVER in a time trial and you still beat me. Just like I’ve been waiting for you to do since you told me you would one day.”

“Time trials hardly count. And what good does it all mean now?” JR shakes his head. “They’re telling me that I might not walk again.”

“Oh come on, JR!” Apolo says getting up out of the chair, raising his voice. “That’s such BS. This is you we’re talking about. You’re going to be fine!”

“I’m not going to be fine, Apolo!” JR shouts back, trying not to cry. Apolo shakes his head in denial.

“You are going to be fine. You are not going to give up. You are not going to give into this. You are going to go to Colorado, go through rehab and get better. And you will come with me to Vancouver, and you will race, and you will win, and you will stand on the goddamn podium with a medal around your neck!” he says voice steely. JR doesn’t know how to respond to that. He just looks at Apolo, silent. “JR?” Apolo asks, his voice quieter. JR looks down again, turning his face away.

“It hurts,” he says softly, his voice breaking.

“I know. But, JR,” Apolo pauses. “This is going to sound so cliché… but pain is temporary. It hurts now, but it won’t always be this bad. It will get better. You just have to get there. You just have to work for it.” JR looks at him then, sees Apolo’s face shining with some unnamed emotion and inside, JR starts to believe it.

“You really think I can do this? It’s only 4 1/2 months,” he asks. Apolo grins at him then, as if suddenly he had been proven right.

“JR, you beat me! Not to sound arrogant, but that pretty much means you can do anything!” Apolo says smirking and JR smiles for the first time since cutting an 8 inch gash in his own thigh.

 

This is how it is…

JR bounces on his feet as his name is called, steps up onto the podium flapping his arms in the air, and pumping his fist, waving to his parents. He bends down and accepts the blue ribbon around his neck, the medal heavy and wonderful where it falls to rest on his chest. He shakes the officials hand and listens to the roar of the crowd. He’s handed his flowers, and shakes the second official’s hand, and raises both of his arms in the air in triumph. He watches as they do the same for Apolo, clapping along with the crowd as he gets his medal and flowers. He watches two American flags as they are raised into the air, separated only by the Korean flag.

Later still, he finds himself being hugged by Apolo for about the fifteenth time that day, only this time their medals clink together when their chests collide, and they pull apart laughing to check for damage. He spends much of the evening off with his family, but a good amount of it, glued to Apolo’s side, posing for pictures, getting interviewed, wandering the party at USA House, celebrating the big night for USA and Short Track respectively. They have little time to talk though, just the two of them. So many other people keep coming up, pulling them away to talk to each of them individually. Apolo’s Dad, his 6th medal win, JR’s family, his 1st medal win. It’s a big night all around and it’s only the first night of competition for the team.

It’s late when JR says goodbye to his family and friends, and the team is ordered to bed by the coaches, who don’t look like they’re quite ready to head back to the dorms yet themselves. But the teams relent and leave in one mass exodus of the party. All the girls, and all the guys leaving together, and taking the bus back to the village, heading for the dorms. By now, the adrenaline rush is fading, and they’re mostly quiet on the nearly empty bus. Aly and Berlys talk quietly in the front near the driver. Travis and Jordan sit directly behind them; laughing about something ridiculous. Simon and Lana are both knocked out, heads resting on their respective windows. Allison and Kat, both wide awake, sit midway back, keeping busy with their cell phones and iPods.

When they had boarded the bus, Apolo had taken JR by the wrist and pulled him to the very last row, sitting down next to him. JR figures he wants to talk or something, but Apolo stays silent until they’re halfway back to the dorms. It’s only when everybody is absorbed in their own activities that he starts talking.

“I’m proud of you,” he says quietly, and JR knows his voice is pitched so that only JR will hear it. He smiles.

“I’m proud of you,” he echoes. Apolo grins at him.

“What’s so great about number 6?” Apolo asks. “The first one though, that’s one to celebrate.” He reaches out to tap the bronze medal sitting visible in the V of JR’s jacket. JR bumps his shoulder into Apolo’s, tucking the medal away and zipping his jacket up higher.

“I wanted to say thank you,” JR says quietly.

“What for?” Apolo asks. JR looks down, hoping his blush isn’t visible in the dim light of the bus.

“For inspiring me to start and then to do well. For pushing me to be better, and encouraging me to do my best. For what you said in the hospital last September.” He looks up then, catching Apolo’s gaze with his own, street lights flooding the inside of the bus at regular intervals. “I was going to give up. You made sure I didn’t,” he adds.

“I wasn’t about to let you underestimate yourself. You do that much too often, JR.” JR shrugs in response, turning to look out the window. “You’re a great skater, JR,” Apolo says, leaning closer. JR turns back and smiles at him, bemused. “You are!” Apolo says laughing. “You’re doing great. And I know you’re going to keep doing great.” JR shakes his head.

“I don’t know. We both kind of lucked out on this one,” JR says. Apolo rolls his eyes.

“That’s short track. It’ll come round again and bite us both on the ass later, I’m sure.” That makes JR laugh.

“Cosmic DQs at some point later in the competition?” he asks. Apolo nods fighting not to laugh.

“Surely. Just do yourself a favor, be graceful if it happens. You seriously don’t want a bad reaction to follow you around for the next 2 Olympic Games.” JR laughs again.

“I don’t know if I’ve got another two Olympics ahead for me,” he confesses.

“You’re not going to try for Sochi?” Apolo asks. JR shrugs.

“I’m planning too, but it seems so far away, and I have school. I’m not sure I want to go through all of this again,” JR explains. Apolo frowns.

“I think it would be a shame for you to not stick around for at least one more,” Apolo says, looking down. JR sighs.

“But all the prep… It’s just really exhausting, but you know that,” he explains. Apolo chuckles.

“Yeah, but worth it,” Apolo replies. JR smiles laughing a little. He unzips his jacket, and pulls out the bronze medal. He holds it up, watching the shiny sections light up when the street lights hit it just right.

“Yeah, totally worth it,” JR says quietly, his smile growing wider.

“Just imagine how good gold will feel. If not this games, the next ones,” Apolo offers. “That’s incentive.”

“Yo! Lover-boys! Enough making out in the back of the bus! We’re almost there! Simon get your weak ass up, that isn’t your bed!” Jordan calls from the front of the bus to loud laughter, and the sound of one of Simon’s shoes flying at him from midway back. JR bursts out laughing followed quickly by Apolo.

It’s only as they’re picking their way down the bus aisle, following their rowdy and laughing teammates off the bus, that Apolo leans forward and whispers in JR’s ear.

“You have to go to one more Olympics, JR. Doesn’t really count as passing the mantle to the next great short track speed skater, if he doesn’t keep skating after I’m gone.” JR doesn’t know how to reply, just lets Apolo squeeze past him and hop down the bus steps, heading into the dorm to get some much deserved sleep.

 

This is how it WILL BE…

JR takes a deep breath, closing his eyes and remembering back over the last 12 years of his short track speed skating career. He’s spent over half of his life in preparation for this moment. And he’d finally made it. It is so hard for him to believe he is finally here, finally having this dream come true. Opening his eyes he looks out over the gathered crowd, a sea of faces from all over the world.

“Ladies and Gentleman, your gold medalist and Olympic Champion for the men’s 1500m, representing the United States of America, JR Celski!”

JR steps up onto the podium, his hands lifting in victory, and he tilts his head back grinning at the roar of the crowd. He’s an Olympic Champion. Finally. His smile is huge as he scans the audience, looking for his mother and father, his brothers and sisters-in-law, his cousins, friends, and other assorted family members. He finds the right section, a whole crowd of screaming jumping people all wearing the distinctive yellow “Just Rocks” t-shirts. He waves a hand in their direction, seeing their excitement notch up again. He bends down, accepting his medal, shakes the officials hand, and holds his gold up in the air, testing its weight with his hand. His heart is in his throat as he accepts his flowers, shaking the second official’s hand, the crowd roaring again. They announce the National Anthem, and he turns on the podium, his hand coming up to cover his heart, the medal is cold where it rests just below his palm. He mouths the words to the Star Spangled Banner, feeling tears gathering in his eyes.

When it’s over, after the ceremony and the press conference, when the pictures have been taken, and his hand has been shaken by what feels like a million different people, and he finally gets a chance to really breathe, he pulls out his cell-phone. There are dozens of text messages waiting for him. He flips through them one at a time. “congrats!” “knew you could do it!” “Celskeet u r #1” “JJJRRR Go for Gold!” “You kicked ass, boy” “Ahhhh! Gold Gold Gold!” He smiles, flipping to the next one and the one after that. When Apolo’s name pops up he grins wider. There are four simple words: “I TOLD YOU SO!” and JR can’t help but laugh. He shakes his head flipping to the next one, also from Apolo: “2018? You’ve got gold fever now, JR, you know you do!”

Hitting reply he writes: “And whose fault is that? I still have 2 more competitions to go at THIS Olympics, which you should know Mr. Reporter.”

The reply comes quickly. “You’ll kick ass in those too. You did learn from the best.” It’s cocky and arrogant, and encouraging and uplifting all at the same time. Perfectly Apolo. JR smiles as he reads it. He thinks a minute before replying again.

“Yeah, Shani was a real inspiration.”

“Ha Ha Ha,” comes the predictable response. JR laughs, putting his phone away. He leans back in his chair, enjoying the silence of the small room he’s locked himself away in for the moment. His hands trace the surface of the gold medal he’s just received, tracing its round shape, and feeling the grooves pressed into its surface. He smiles and lets his body go completely relaxed. He’s happy and satisfied and exhausted. He’s proud of himself, happy with his performance, and with his medal count. The gold is not his first medal this Olympics, but his second, bringing his total Olympic medal count up to four. He now has two bronze, one silver, and one gold. JR closes his eyes, lets the previous few hours replay behind his eye lids and smiles. As much as he hates to admit it, Apolo is right. The rush of gold is heady. He wants another, badly. He opens his eyes sitting up in his chair and bites his lip. He has two more competitions these games. The 500m and the 5000m relay.

If he’s being honest with himself gold is unlikely. He’s not a sprinter, he’s better at the distance races. His qualification for the 500m at trials had been largely a fluke, and he’s barely qualified for the final here. He doesn’t hold out much hope for his chances of medaling in that particular race. As for the relay... their team is good. They’ve been consistent all year. Doing well and medaling regularly. But the Korean team is just plain better. They haven’t lost a relay race all year and have beaten the world record twice in the last 12 months. JR sighs, resting his head on the wall behind him. His cell phone starts to buzz in his pocket, the pulse familiar and enough to make JR smile. He pulls it out, knowing it’s Apolo.

“Hey,” he says.

“What’s wrong?” Apolo asks. He sounds worried. JR frowns again.

“Nothing’s wrong. Why would anything be wrong?” he asks. Apolo makes a short irritated sound on the other end of the connection.

“I know you JR. You’re brooding. You have absolutely no reason to be brooding after winning your first ever Olympic gold medal,” Apolo explains. JR takes a minute to respond.

“I want another one,” he explains. That gets a laugh out of Apolo.

“Of course you do. They’re fucking addictive. If you want another one then go get another one. Like you said: two more chances,” Apolo says with amusement. JR grins.

“Yeah, but you know the chances of another gold are slim,” JR answers. Apolo groans.

“Defeatist. Buck up, JR. You know how short track can be. Nothing is certain in this sport. What are you doing tonight?” he asks. This time JR groans.

“Dinner with the family, and then bed. We have a few days til the 500m semis and the relay qualifiers. Why?” he asks. When Apolo answers JR can practically hear his grin.

“I want my exclusive interview. You promised. First gold medal, and I get to talk to you first thing, besides the press conference of course.” JR rolls his eyes.

“I remember. Our usual method of payment still valid?” he asks. Apolo’s laugh rolling through the phone connection makes JR’s heart skip a beat.

“Of course! One kiss for each question asked and answered. Plus, you get your post gold medal victory fuck. But we might have to hold off on that until your other races are over,” Apolo’s voice is low and teasing. JR grins again.

“What if I win another gold medal at the end of the week?” he asks. “We’ve never discussed what two gold medals are worth.” Apolo laughs loudly in response, and JR feels his face flush a little.

“I think we can figure something out later. Now stop hiding and go hug your mother. We’ll talk later tonight, before bed. We can meet in the morning for breakfast if you want.” JR smiles a little.

“Yeah, breakfast sounds great. I’ll call you before lights-out. I’ll talk to you later,” he says softly. He hears fumbling on the other end of the line.

“I love you,” Apolo says softly, slightly muffled, like he’s trying not to be overheard. JR looks around the empty room with the closed door and when he answers he does it loudly.

“I love you too!” Apolo’s laugh is loud and real in response.

“Go to dinner you silly gold medalist!” Apolo says laughing.

“Goodbye, Apolo,” JR answers closing his phone without waiting for a response. Standing from his chair, he heads for the door, ready to brave the craziness once more.

 

The End


End file.
